< less than
<
U+003C
Copy as
| Character | < | |
|---|---|---|
| Unicode | U+003C | |
| HTML decimal | < | |
| HTML hexadecimal | < | |
| HTML named entity | < | |
| CSS content | \003C | |
| JavaScript / UTF-16 | \u003C | |
| UTF-8 bytes | 3C |
Meaning & usage
Less than (<) belongs to mathematical notation rather than ordinary punctuation.
Use it in formulas, comparisons or technical explanations, and define its role when the context is ambiguous.
U+003C identifies this exact less than form; copying the character preserves its Unicode identity, while its appearance depends on the font or emoji renderer.
less than occupies one Unicode code point. A similar-looking letter, punctuation mark or emoji is not necessarily interchangeable with < in search, filenames or text processing.
How to type less than
- Windows
- Use Win + . for the emoji and symbol panel, or Character Map for supported fonts. In Microsoft Word, enter each hexadecimal code (3C) and press Alt + X. There is no universal decimal Alt code for this character; legacy Alt codes depend on the code page.
- Mac
- Open Character Viewer with Control + Command + Space and search for less than. With the Unicode Hex Input keyboard enabled, hold Option and enter the UTF-16 units shown above. Standard Option shortcuts do not cover every Unicode symbol.
- Linux
- In compatible GTK applications, press Ctrl + Shift + U, enter 3C, then Enter. Enter each code point separately for sequences. Other desktops or apps may require their character picker.
- iPhone & Android
- Look for less than in your emoji keyboard if available, or copy it here and paste. Save frequently used symbols as a text replacement or keyboard shortcut; availability varies by keyboard.